- 2 days ago
Get ready to tap your toes and sing along as we dive into the movie musicals that have defined the 21st century. From iconic classics like “Chicago” to modern hits like “Wicked” and “La La Land,” these films blend unforgettable stories, spectacular performances, and show-stopping songs. Whether it’s heartfelt ballads or energetic dance numbers, these musicals have captivated audiences worldwide and put jazz hands all over the century so far!
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00:00Excuse me. Everyone, please. I have an announcement.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:07And today, we're counting down our picks for the movie musicals that have already left jazz hands all over the 21st century.
00:13We're excluding animated movies because they could fill out their own list.
00:17And we're not including recordings of stage shows either.
00:20I've got to be in the mood. I've got to be in the mood.
00:27Number 30. Matilda the Musical.
00:30Given the stack of awards the stage version had already racked up, from Olivier's two Tonys,
00:35the film had more expectations on it than a burning woman hurling through the air with dynamite in her hair.
00:40And when the reviews came in, they were anything but revolting.
00:44Shout, cause if you're little you can do a lot. You mustn't let a little thing like little stop you.
00:51If you sit around and let them get on top, you won't change a thing.
00:56The movie captured the charm of the stage show, and its cast clearly understood the assignment.
01:01Emma Thompson especially was a terrifyingly brilliant Miss Trunchbull.
01:05We must begin insisting on rigidity and discipline.
01:08Persistently resisting this anarchistic mischief in these minutes.
01:11You are flittering on kangaroo no pity in all the ones like me.
01:15So just indiscipline.
01:16The choreography by Ellen Kane, who'd worked alongside the show's original choreographer Peter Darling,
01:21was a particular highlight.
01:23She managed to keep what made the show such a hit while delivering something fresh,
01:27fun and made for the big screen.
01:29We can SBL how we like. If enough of us are wrong, wrong is right.
01:33Everyone N-O-R-T-Y. We're a little bit naughty.
01:37Number 29. Mary Poppins Returns.
01:40Writing a sequel to Mary Poppins was a bold move.
01:43How do you follow something so iconic?
01:45But Mary Poppins Returns pulls it off with charm, heart,
01:49and a soundtrack full of bangers that might not be a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,
01:54but still absolutely slap.
01:56Some monster wind adventure calls, can you imagine that?
02:00And sails straight over waterfalls, can you imagine that?
02:04We're back on Cherry Tree Lane with the next generation of Banks children,
02:07while the grown-ups seem to have forgotten the magic of their childhoods, like we all tend to do.
02:12Mary and Jack the Lamplighter swoop in to help bring it back.
02:16Emily Blunt brings her charisma to the role while honoring Julie Andrews,
02:20and Lin-Manuel Miranda is, well, Lin-Manuel Miranda.
02:24There's even a Dick Van Dyke cameo.
02:26It's joyful, moving, and properly magical.
02:29The cover is mine!
02:30We take her advice!
02:32The cover is mine!
02:33Or you'll pay the price!
02:34The cover is mine!
02:35When it cover is a feather!
02:37The cover is a feather!
02:40The cover is a feather!
02:41The cover is a feather!
02:43The cover is a feather!
02:4428.
02:45Wonka.
02:46this film was pitched as a prequel to the 1971 classic the less said about the 2005 version the
02:51better and it turned out to be the golden ticket no one saw coming a young wonka origin story could
02:57have easily soured our memories but instead it delivered a rich surprising treat timothy chalamet
03:03brought a soft sweet center to the iconic chocolatier teaming up with the perfectly sweet
03:07noodle played by cala lane you don't seriously expect me to believe this do you of course i do
03:13what other explanation is there i don't know that you go to sleep dream by a little green man orange
03:18man green hair and while you're dreaming stuff your face with chocolate stuff might that makes a lot
03:25more sense the rest of the cast is like a variety pack of favorites and the songs are totally scrum
03:30dilly umptious the film leaned into whimsy with a tone more satisfying than a sugar rush it's pure
03:36confection colorful earnest and just nutty enough number 27 everybody's talking about jamie
03:56this musical was inspired by the bbc documentary jamie drag queen at 16. the story follows jamie a queer
04:03teenager who dreams of becoming a drag queen and wearing a dress to prom while up against a town
04:08that hasn't yet found its pride i am and i'm coming out as a drag queen at prom because sometimes pretty
04:15passion you gotta grab life by the balls you take those balls you tuck them between your legs and you
04:20put your best chopping truck on the stage show opened in sheffield before heading to the west end
04:25earning five olivier nominations and winning best new musical at the what's on stage awards
04:30with a catchy soundtrack and heartfelt storytelling it explores self-expression identity acceptance and
04:37belonging
04:48the film brought jamie's story to a wider audience adding more depth and background to lgbtqia plus
04:54experiences though released quietly during the pandemic it still earned critical praise and a
05:00bafta nomination
05:11number 26 beauty and the beast the 2017 live-action version of beauty and the beast had a lot to live up
05:18to being an adaptation of the much-loved and highly acclaimed 1991 animated movie i hope you are not
05:25too startled why would i be startled i'm talking to a candle candle please enormous difference the first
05:32animated film to win a golden globe for best motion picture musical or comedy and the first animated
05:38movie to be nominated for a best picture oscar even with all that to say the 2017 film lived up to
05:45expectations might be underselling it the movie features all the iconic songs from the original
06:02film as well as the magic and the joy of that 1991 animated classic they can sing they can dance after
06:10you're all miss this is france and a dinner here is never second bad
06:16not to mention grossing over one billion dollars making it the second biggest movie of the year behind star wars the last jedi
06:25number 25 the last five years the last five years is a favorite among jason robert brown fans
06:31and the film version pulls off its tricky non-linear structure surprisingly well
06:47jeremy jordan and anna kendrick lead with incredible vocals and some compelling acting
06:52kendrick gives kathy a raw funny and vulnerable edge while jordan makes jamie feel charming flawed and
06:59totally real their chemistry lights up every scene
07:17the story is intimate and honest just two people falling in and out of love it doesn't try to be
07:23flashy making it even harder the score is gorgeous the emotions land and the performance
07:29carry the whole thing it's not flawless but it sticks with you in the best way if i didn't believe in you
07:39i couldn't have stood before all of our friends and said this is the life i choose
07:46number 24 hedvig and the angry inch this movie earned its cult following because it speaks directly
07:52to anyone who has ever felt like they didn't fit in
08:08part rock concert part deeply personal story it follows hedvig a gender queer punk singer navigating
08:14love loss identity and self-acceptance the show doesn't shy away from pain but it meets it with sharp
08:20wit vulnerability and unforgettable music
08:35it felt groundbreaking when it premiered and still does it gave voice to experiences so rarely seen
08:41on stage especially with that kind of honesty for so many it's more than a musical it's a lifeline
08:48a mirror and a total celebration of being yourself the film scooped up countless awards and made its
08:53way to broadway the sweetest days i've known if you've got some sugar bring it home number 23 sing
09:04street given how deeply teens feel everything it's no surprise that teen turmoil pairs perfectly with a
09:10gripping soundtrack she's standing on the corner like an angel in disguise i want to try and warn her
09:18she's got dangerous eyes dangerous eyes i like that what does it mean i don't know it tackles serious
09:28issues like family strife poverty and school rivals but keeps things upbeat funny and full of heart it's
09:36incredibly relatable as we follow connor discovering who he is through music adjusting to a new school
09:41and dealing with a massive crush
09:53the soundtrack is phenomenal mixing 80s hits with original songs that sound like lost classics
10:00the performances are strong and the film earned a golden globe nomination a stage version set for
10:052020 ended up halted but there is a broadway cast recording while we wait for it to get its stagey
10:11spotlight
10:21number 22 aladdin disney's live-action remakes have been hit or miss but aladdin was definitely one of
10:28the better ones deal is in the detail got it which i don't really understand because if she already
10:34likes you why change it updated parts of the original for a modern audience without losing the
10:39magic fans loved jasmine takes a more active role and gets what's arguably one of the best new songs
10:44written for any live action adaptation
10:58sure the cgi raised some eyebrows and no one could replace the late great robin williams but there was
11:04a party in agrabah and we absolutely wanted in it became the third highest grossing disney remake at the
11:10time critics weren't all convinced by its shining shimmering updates but with a people's choice win
11:16audiences clearly made their wish known
11:27number 21 a star is born you'd think by round four they'd be out of ways to tell this story but the 2018
11:34remake proved otherwise it's the same story told over and over forever
11:45all any artist can offer in the world is how they see those 12 notes it feels raw and emotional
11:52thanks to a heartfelt script and standout performances from lady gaga and bradley cooper their chemistry lit
11:58up the screen and had people wondering where the acting ended fame ambition love and loss all
12:04come into play and the emotions land hard in an era where so much of real life plays out in public
12:23the film leans into the pain but never loses its humanity it earned 283 nominations and 111 wins
12:31the soundtrack might be the real star especially shallow which connected with critics audiences and
12:37award committees alike
12:49number 20 high school musical 2 the first high school musical was a modern take on the classic
12:55tale of romeo and juliet without the whole they both die at the end part
13:09it's a good thing because otherwise we wouldn't have the sequel which at least according to critics
13:14was a step up from the original school's out for summer in the second film and the gang the music and
13:21the dancing are back to keep us even those of us years past our tweens highly entertained
13:36to quote your favorite late night infomercial but wait there's more because they didn't stop there
13:42releasing high school musical 3 senior year the following year yet another hit for the franchise
13:48i want the rest of my life to feel just like a high school musical
14:06number 19 the muppets it's time to play the music it's time to light the lights it's time to meet the muppets
14:18it may not be the best muppet movie of all time as that title still and probably always will belong
14:28to 1979's the muppet movie but after some highs and lows in the muppet movie franchise in the intervening
14:34three decades 2011's the muppets was a high for the franchise and for musicals of the century
14:40everything is great we'll live happily ever after and we'll keep giving the world the third greatest
14:47gift laughter co-written by and starring the always enjoyable jason siegel the muppets doesn't shy away
14:53from the nostalgia of the franchise in fact the movie happily leans right into it and that's hard to
15:00resist for anyone whose childhood comes with memories of those funny felt covered puppets and the film's 95
15:06fresh rating on rotten tomatoes would suggest we aren't the only ones who think so
15:15number 18 in the heights money isn't everything especially when it comes to judging the quality
15:21of a film based solely on its box office success or failure in the heights is a perfect example
15:27that's the part of the routine everybody's got a job everybody's got a dream lin-manuel miranda had
15:33already taken home a best musical tony award years earlier for the stage production and after the mega
15:39success of hamilton there were big expectations for the in the heights movie and critically the film lived
15:46up to them scoring a very impressive 94 fresh rating on rotten tomatoes
15:50tomatoes however with a break-even number of 200 million dollars the film only took home 43 million
16:02the pandemic and the film's presence on hbo max obviously played a role but a musical this joyous is
16:09bound to have a life beyond the box office
16:20number 17. les miserables while we haven't done the math we're willing to say that there have been more
16:26adaptations of les miz than any other film on this list how it all increases all those bits and pieces
16:33jesus it's amazing how it grows victor hugo's 19th century novel and the 1980 stage musical are only
16:40the tip of the iceberg it's as if every generation has their own version of les miz and for this
16:46century at least so far the standout is the 2012 film my place is here i fight with you
16:55a film that reinvigorated the classic tale and took home three golden globes four baftas and three
17:03oscars including a best supporting actress sweep for anne hathaway
17:17number 16 across the universe the beatles are to art and entertainment what bacon is to the culinary
17:25world they make everything better visitors to las vegas saw it with cirque du soleil's production
17:37of love kids have seen it with beat bugs on netflix and moviegoers got a delicious taste back in 2007
17:45with the jukebox musical across the universe
17:47featuring over 30 songs from arguably the greatest band of all time the film tells of love war and
17:58social and political upheaval in the 1960s throw in the eye-catching visual style and this is a must
18:05see regardless of whether you're a beatles superfan or not
18:15number 15 into the woods you might notice that a number of films on this list are adaptations of
18:21broadway productions and into the woods is no exception the original show made its broadway
18:26debut all the way back in 1987 and over the years there were a number of attempts to turn it into a movie
18:33possible
18:37very very possible but where others failed disney as is often the case
18:43succeeded with rob marshall directing and a cast that includes meryl streep and emily blunt
18:48the film was definitely not lacking for talent i don't want your bread then what is it you wish
18:54stop what i wish it's what you wish and although it did receive some criticism for changes made in
18:59the adaptation from the stage this fairy tale left us feeling anything but grim
19:05am i not sensitive clever well-mannered considerate passionate charming as kind as i'm handsome and
19:13heir to a throne you are everything maidens could wish for
19:17and he will have his revenge from one sondheim to another the story of a serial killer barber in
19:31victorian england might not sound like a great idea for a musical but guess what it is it was in 1979
19:39when it won the tony award for best musical and in 2008 when tim burton's film adaptation took home
19:45the award for best picture musical or comedy at the 65th golden globes
19:48we also have to give johnny depp kudos for his performance as the eponymous demon barber of course
20:05we didn't doubt his ability to give a haunting performance but we were certainly surprised
20:10pleasantly of course by the vocal chops that the role of sweeney todd allowed him to showcase
20:15stories you've been locked out of sight all these years like me my friend
20:27number 13 rent
20:29it's time now to sing out though the story never ends let's celebrate remember a year in the life of
20:40in 2005 the movie musical rent premiered in theaters almost 10 years after the stage musical made its
20:47debut on broadway that's just under 525 600 times 10 minutes with six of the actors from the broadway
20:56show returning for the film the movie had a connection to the material that other film
21:00musical adaptations don't and it came across in the production
21:04while there were some critics and audience members who could take it or leave it rent is one of the
21:1221st century musicals that we will always take take me baby or leave me number 12 mamma mia this 2008
21:23jukebox musical features songs written by the swedish band abba and like abba's music the film is bright
21:30fun catchy a little cheesy and hard to resist
21:45the filmmakers took a chance on turning the hit broadway musical into a movie and it worked as the
21:51film raked in lots of money money money over 600 million dollars in fact
22:04and the love for the movie didn't stop there as people in the uk and sweden said i do i do
22:09i do i do i do to the release of the dvd by the end of 2008 it was the best selling dvd ever in both
22:17countries number 11 the greatest showman ladies and gents this is the moment you've waited for
22:302017's the greatest showman starring hugh jackman is a musical drama loosely based on the life of pt
22:36barnum and his creation of barnum's american museum the film was a huge financial success bringing in
22:43over 400 million dollars worldwide and becoming one of the highest grossing live-action musicals
22:49ever it also gave us the original song this is me which won a golden globe and was nominated for an
22:56oscar
23:06and sure the film wasn't as well received by the critics but at least they talked about it because
23:12as pt barnum is credited with saying there is no such thing as bad publicity
23:23number 10 enchanted in 2001 dreamworks poked fun at disney with their animated classic shrek
23:31but in 2007 disney showed that they can also laugh at themselves with enchanted why are you staring at
23:37me i don't know it's it's like you escaped from a homework card or something the film is
23:42a mostly live-action musical that fondly pays tribute to classic disney animated movies while
23:48also spoofing said films with a knowing wink to the audience and let's not forget the great songs
23:54the disney catalog of songs is just as impressive as its movies and enchanted lived up to those high
24:12expectations so much so that at the 2008 academy awards three of the five best original song nominees
24:19were from enchanted
24:32number nine dream girls
24:34one film was nominated for the most oscars at the 79th academy awards in 2007
24:40that's right it was dream girls the musical inspired by the era of motown and very very
24:52very loosely based on the story of the supremes was nominated for eight oscars the film is a crowd
24:59pleasing adaptation of the 1980s broadway musical and it made jennifer hudson a star and the youngest
25:06african american to win an acting oscar
25:19the movie was also nominated for three best original song awards becoming the first live
25:24action movie to do so one year before enchanted did it
25:41number eight once there was once a guy who played music and fixed vacuum cleaners who fell in love
25:48with a girl who played music and sold flowers
26:01but while that might sound like the intro to a typical hollywood romance once doesn't follow the
26:07typical romantic movie storyline which is just one of the things that makes it so amazing there's also
26:13the beautiful music which was written and performed by glenn hansard and marketa urglova the ones who play the guy and the girl in the film
26:34remember how enchanted was nominated for three song awards at the oscars in 2008
26:39well all three lost to falling slowly from once
27:00number seven tick tick boom
27:03tick tick boom brings together modern day musical royalty
27:06the 2021 film is an adaptation of the off-broadway show written by rent creator jonathan larson
27:17and it was directed by none other than in the heights and hamilton writer lin-manuel miranda
27:22with talent like that we were sure hoping this one would be good and we weren't disappointed
27:28the main thing though is that it's first-rate work and has a future and so do you
27:34the original stage production was performed as a rock monologue by larson himself back in 1990
27:40but it went through a number of changes during his time with it and was also reworked by others
27:45following his death in 1996. the film does a good job of honoring the essence of the piece and of larson
27:52in himself
28:02number six west side story
28:05when you're a jet you're a top cat in town you're a gold medal kid with a heavyweight crown
28:11if we were putting together a list of the best movie musicals of the 20th century west side story would be
28:16on it. And now the 21st century has an equally great West Side Story as well.
28:33Steven Spielberg and a cast of talented actors, singers, and dancers managed to breathe new life
28:39into a remake many didn't think was even needed. With the original being so good, there were no
28:45doubt those who thought Spielberg was crazy for remaking it. Is that okay? Do you want to start
28:51World War III? But he was cool and he had a vision. And given the critical acclaim the film has
28:57received, that vision was, as is usually the case with Mr. Spielberg, one we're glad he followed
29:03through on. Number 5. La La Land.
29:17Remember when La La Land, uh, we mean Moonlight, won Best Picture at the 2017 Academy Awards?
29:24While the film will always be associated with the biggest gaffe in Oscar history,
29:29we should not allow that to distract us from how darn good it is as well.
29:46Director Damien Chazelle set out to make an old school style musical, but quote,
29:50grounded in real life where things don't always exactly work out. The film is an ode to Los Angeles,
29:56love, the arts, and the sacrifices that must be made to follow your dreams.
30:10And for his efforts, the 32-year-old Chazelle took home the Oscar for Best Director,
30:17becoming the youngest person ever to do so. Number 4. Moulin Rouge.
30:23My gift is my soul.
30:31And this one's for you.
30:35A musical love story between a writer and a courtesan in turn-of-the-century Paris,
30:39centered around the famous Moulin Rouge and featuring modern music, probably shouldn't work.
30:45But in the hands of Baz Luhrmann, the man who made Romeo and Juliet cool again,
30:50it didn't just work, it rocked.
30:52The boy has talent!
30:55I like him!
30:57Nothing funny. I just like talent.
30:59The film is a visual and sonic feast for the senses that will make you laugh and cry,
31:05will make you believe in true love, and will break your heart.
31:09All brought together with a jukebox soundtrack filled with modern, late 20th century music.
31:14There was so much music, in fact, it took Luhrmann two and a half years to finalize
31:19all the rights to every song used in the movie.
31:29Number 3. Hairspray.
31:32Wake up, Baltimore!
31:33And everyone else.
31:35Hairspray is one of the three best musicals of the 21st century so far.
31:39The OG John Waters film is a classic, and while remakes are generally hit or miss,
31:45the 2007 version brought the beat from Broadway to the silver screen.
31:54Financially, it raked in over $200 million and received universal critical acclaim.
32:00We can see why, as Hairspray manages to be a feel-good musical while still tackling its serious subject matter with sincerity.
32:07You can't love me, you can't love me, you can't love me.
32:10You can't love me, you can't love me.
32:18So to anyone who's doubting the awesomeness of this one, go run and tell that.
32:23Ooh, yeah!
32:25Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
32:31Woo!
32:33A wicked movie felt like it had been dangled in front of us forever,
32:41so when it finally happened, expectations were sky high, and thankfully it delivered.
32:47Countless behind-the-scenes featurettes showed just how much effort went into creating this version of Oz.
33:05You could feel it was a film made for the fans, by the fans.
33:09We could also sing the entire cast's praises, but then this video would probably be as long as the movie.
33:17The film kept what fans love about the show while embracing its cinematic potential
33:29and packing it beyond the brim with cameos.
33:32By the end of 2024, Wicked had officially become the most popular movie musical in box office history.
33:38I'll show you what shoes to wear, how to fix your hair, everything that really counts to be popular.
33:45Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
33:53Burlesque. We can't EXPRESS enough how much we need Cher and more movie musicals.
33:59But you're ready to confess, tell me what you need.
34:07Welcome to Burlesque.
34:11Phantom of the Opera. Come for the crashing chandelier, stay for the music of the night.
34:16The Phantom of the Opera is there, inside my mind.
34:27The Producers. You loved it, you wanted us to include it, and we said...
34:31We can do it!
34:33Mr. Bionna, stop me, stop this song, you've got me wrong.
34:35We don't say so long, I'm not as strong a person as you think we...
34:38Pitch perfect. Let's just take Apella a moment to appreciate how on-key this film is.
34:43Tonight, I can love, I'll love you tonight.
34:49You can do everything tonight.
34:53Rocket Man. It hit all the right notes.
34:56Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
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35:20Number 1. Chicago.
35:23Five, six, seven, eight.
35:28Unlike La La Land, when Chicago was announced as the Best Picture winner at the 2003 Academy Awards, it wasn't a mistake.
35:36Not only is Chicago the only musical on our list to have taken home Oscar's top honor,
35:41it was the first musical to do so in over 30 years.
35:45You got this and you got this and you got this and you got this and you got this and you got this and you got this and you got this and you can tell us that we were wrong.
35:51And it deserved all the praise it received.
35:54Mmm, I'm a star.
35:58And the audience loves me.
36:01And I love them.
36:03And they love me for loving them.
36:06And I love them for loving me.
36:10And we love each other.
36:13Now, if you're looking for a musical with a moral message where people who do bad are punished and doing good means good things will happen,
36:21then Chicago isn't for you.
36:23But the lack of karma aside, this film has it all.
36:27Sultry killers, tap dancing lawyers, a rabid tabloid press, a bloodthirsty public, great music, awesome choreography, and all that.
36:37Yeah.
36:39Yeah.
36:43Is there a musical you'd love to see turned into a movie?
36:48Let us know in the comments.
36:49You can clap now.
36:50Ba-doom.
36:51Bye-doom.
36:52Bye-doom.
36:52Bye-doom.
36:52Bye-doom.
36:53Bye-doom.
36:53Bye-doom.
36:53Bye-doom.
36:53Bye-doom.
36:54Bye-doom.
36:55Bye-doom.
36:56Bye-doom.
36:57Bye-doom.
36:58Bye-doom.
36:59Bye-doom.
37:00Bye-doom.
37:01Bye-doom.
37:02Bye-doom.
37:03Bye-doom.
37:04Bye-doom.
37:05Bye-doom.
37:06Bye-doom.
37:07Bye-doom.
37:08Bye-doom.
37:09Bye-doom.
37:10Bye-doom.
37:11Bye-doom.
37:12Bye-doom.
37:13Bye-doom.
37:14Bye-doom.
37:15Bye-doom.
37:16Bye-doom.
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